Fragrant and flavorful VEGAN Korma Pot Pie with a medley of vegetables and spices simmered in coconut milk topped with a puff pastry crust.

Disclosure: Special thanks to Calphalon for sponsoring this post and for choosing me as a Calphalon Cook brand Ambassador. All opinions, as always, are my own.

If I had to choose just one, my husband’s favorite meal has to be Parathas with vegetable korma. I can make it every night of every week and I’m sure he wouldn’t tire of it. I was browsing recipes, trying to plan this year’s holiday meal, and I came across pot pies. I’ve never made pot pies before, and looking at the recipe, I couldn’t stop thinking about how remarkably close to paratha-korma it was, except that it felt a little lack luster in the flavor department.

So here’s my spin on the humble pot pie – a VEGAN Korma Pot Pie. A delicately flavored medley of vegetables simmered in coconut milk, thickened with coconut flour and cashew sauce, topped with a puff pastry crust (because Yumm and the layers are very reminiscent of a paratha!).

I can promise you, this will be the best pot pie you’ve ever had!

What makes this VEGAN Korma Pot Pie better…

… than the average veggie pot pie? 

1. There are 9 different vegetables in here!
2. The vegetables simmer in full fat coconut milk!
3. The gravy is delicately seasoned with bay leaves, fennel, cinnamon, garam masala and green chillies. 
4. The gravy is thickened with cashew sauce and coconut flour.
5. The pot pies are topped with a puff pastry crust.
6. These are individual pot pies, so you get the perfect ratio of filling to pastry.
7. It’s completely vegan AND gluten-free!

This Korma filling comes together in a single 3-quart Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick sauté pan. Because of its superior nonstick coating and sturdy construction, the food cooks just right and doesn’t stick whatsoever. All I need is my trusty silicone spatula (even though it’s metal utensil safe!), and I can get every last bit of food off it, so that at the end of the night, all it needs is an effortless rinse (even though it’s perfectly dishwasher safe!).

Temper the spices, sauté the vegetables in the fragrant oil, taking care to put the ones that take the longest to cook first, so that they all cook together to perfection in the end. Then add the coconut milk, water, cashew sauce and coconut flour.

The coconut flour substitutes the usual all-purpose flour that’s used to thicken gravies, making for a much more flavorful end result. It also pairs with the coconut milk and creates an added lift to the flavor profile. The cashew sauce makes everything a touch more creamier and decadent.

The curry leaves are a flavor hero in this dish, so try your best to get your hands on some. I keep a plant at home, so in case the store is out of it, I can snip a few leaves off the plant. 

The Korma here, if made without the coconut flour, is absolutely decadent as a curry, to either serve with rice or parathas. But with the coconut flour, it thickens beautifully, making this filling both creamy, as well as thick, protecting the puff pastry from sogginess!

Portioning for varied appetites

I found these beautiful geometric ramekins that are the perfect size for individual servings. Along with the sides and dessert typically served on special occasions, these 8-oz bowls make for the right amount of pot pie per person. But if you have a heavy eater among your dinner party, I’d recommend 12-oz bowls instead, or serve two pot pies for those with a heavier appetite. This recipe makes 6 8-oz servings or 4 12-oz servings.

You could make this a single large-serving pot pie in the Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick Sauté pan itself, as it is perfectly oven safe upto 450F. We eat out of the pan most days, but special occasions demand a certain amount of effort, thus the ramekins.

It also helps to place all the ramekins onto a baking tray (I’ve used my trusty Calphalon Premier Countertop Safe Bakeware here), so the ramekins can go into the oven together in one go!

The pot pies are brushed with a coconut milk + maple syrup ‘wash’ for that beautiful golden sheen as it bakes. I’ve also sprinkled some sesame seeds (black and brown), dried garlic bits and smoked maldon salt.

Enjoy the fragrance swirling in your home as this bakes. But pray, wait a minute or two after it comes out of the oven to dig in. No one enjoys having their mouth burned by scalding hot food!

When you make this VEGAN Korma Pot Pie (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!

VEGAN Korma Pot Pie

Yield: 6 individual 8-oz pot pies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Fragrant and flavorful VEGAN Korma Pot Pie with a medley of vegetables and spices simmered in coconut milk topped with a puff pastry crust.

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Ingredients

To grind

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 bird's eye green chillies
• 1/4 c cashews soaked in 1/4 c water

For the korma filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil (or any neutral tasting vegetable oil)
• 1 small stick cinnamon
• 1 large dried bay leaf
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 medium (3/4 c) red onion, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 10 large curry leaves
• 100 g parsnips, peeled and chopped into round coins
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2" thick fingers
• 130 g green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1" pieces
• 100 g carrots, peeled and chopped into round coins
• 1 small (1 c) green bell pepper, chopped into 1" pieces
• 150 g (1 and 1/2 c)cauliflower, cut into 1" florets
• 70 g frozen green peas
• 1 medium roma tomato, chopped into 1" pieces
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 c full fat canned coconut milk
• 1 c water
• 2 tsp salt

For the pastry topping

• 2 sheets Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry (it's vegan!), thawed, but chill to the touch
• 1 -2 tbsp full fat canned coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp dried garlic bits (optional)
• 1/2 tsp smoked maldon salt (optional)

Instructions

Prep

1. Grind soaked cashews with the 1/4 cup water it soaked in to make a smooth, thick paste. Set aside.
2. In the same blender, grind the 1 tsp fennel seeds and green chillies. Set aside.
3. Chop all the vegetables and keep aside. Use the image in the post to see how I chopped the vegetables. It helps to keep them uniformly small, bite-sized.
4. Leave the frozen puff pastry on the counter to thaw and soften slightly.
5. Combine the 1 tbsp coconut milk + 1/4 tsp maple syrup in a tiny bowl for milk wash. Set aside.
6. Combine the sesame seeds with dried garlic bits in a bowl. Set aside.

Korma filling

1. In a 3 qt. sauté pan, heat the oil and once warm, add the bay leaf, cinnamon and 1 tsp fennel seeds. Once it's fragrant (a few seconds) and before it changes color, add the chopped onion and salute until slightly soft.
2. Add the parsnips, potato, beans, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and the ground chilli fennel paste. Cover and cook on medium heat until it's half cooked, stirring every 2-3 minutes to prevent burning.
3. Now add the carrots, bell pepper, cauliflower, tomato and peas. Cover and cook until cooked.
4. Add the cashew paste, coconut flour, coconut milk water, tomato, peas. Stir well to combine and bring to a slow simmer on medium heat, uncovered.
5. Turn off heat and let cool a little, while you work on the puff pastry.

Pastry topping

1. Place 6 (8-oz) ramekins on a baking tray. Preheat oven to 425°F. Position baking rack to the middle position.
2. Using the top of the ramekin as guide, cut out the puff pastry to fit over the lid. Remember, as it bakes, the puff pastry will shrink in, so you want it to be atleast as wide as the widest edge.
3. Divide the korma filling between the ramekins. It helps if the filling is not piping hot, coz the steam will make the pastry soggy. Warm is ok. Room temp is even better.
4. Top each ramekin with a piece of puff pastry. Brush the top with the milk wash (coconut milk + maple syrup). Sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds + dried garlic bits and maldon salt.
5. Cut air holes to vent steam on top of the pastry using a sharp knife.

Bake

1. Bake in preheated oven at 425°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffed up.
2. Let cool slightly and serve warm.
3. Leftovers can be stored in a closed container and reheated in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes.

Notes

1. Soaking cashews takes time. Speed up the process by microwaving 1/4 c raw cashews with 1/4 cup water for 1 minute. Grind smooth to a paste in a small blender jar.
2. Coconut flour is used as a thickener and can be substituted with almond flour or all-purpose flour. If using all-purpose flour, use half the amount of coconut flour, adding more as needed.
3. 8-oz ramekin is perfect per person, if there are multiple sides and dessert. If serving alone, or for those with a larger appetite, 12-oz serving might be better. This filling will make 4 (12-oz) portions.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1073mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 6g

Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.